Umar puts Pakistan in command

May 23, 2011 08:49 IST

Opener Taufeeq Umar scored an unbeaten 97 as Pakistan took command of the second Test against the West Indies on Sunday, ending the third day with a lead of 251 and seven second innings wickets remaining.

The tourists, trailing 1-0 in the two-match series, will now fancy their chances of levelling the series and West Indies need a radical turnaround in all three departments if they are to save the Test.

Left-hander Umar's patient innings, took 231 balls and involved some good fortune as he survived two dropped catches and a missed stumping.

On the final delivery of the day, he faced a loud shout from West Indies skipper Darren Sammy, who appealed in vain for a catch behind.

Sammy chose not to go to the video review and his yell may well have been more in frustration than a genuine inquiry given the mistakes he and his team mates made in the field.

After a fine rearguard effort from West Indies tail-enders Kemar Roach and Ravi Rampaul, who put on 60 runs for the ninth wicket as the Caribbean side scrapped their way to 223 all out, Sammy's team needed some early wickets to shift the momentum.

But Darren Bravo dropped an easy chance when Umar edged Roach to him at first slip and then another Umar edge off Roach flashed past skipper Sammy in the cordon.

Sammy then failed to hold on to a low edge from Mohammad Hafeez off Rampaul as Pakistan made it to 55 without loss at lunch.

The skipper made amends with the ball in the afternoon session as he dismissed Hafeez with a sharp in-swinger to get the belated breakthrough at 82 for one.

West Indies missed another chance to get rid of Umar when wicketkeeper Carlton Baugh missed a stumping off leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo.

Azhar Ali then edged Bishoo through the motionless slips as Pakistan's good fortune continued but Bishoo was to get his man after tea.

Ali attempted to cut a sharply turning leg-break from Bishoo and Sammy took a smart catch in the slips to remove the Pakistani batsman for 53.

Asad Shafiq then fell to a superb catch by Baugh off a rising and quick delivery from Roach as Pakistan, at 167 for three, lost some momentum.

But with Misbah-ul-Haq joining Umar to take the total to 202 by the close of play, the tourists will look back on a day in which they took advantage of some poor fielding from West Indies and put themselves in a position to win the Test.